Thunderer, Light Artillery - 80 Polygons
BlastHog, Heavy Bomber - 106 Polygons
Blazer, Light Tank - 74 Polygons
Any friendly advice or questions?
Mike
My First Works
Moderators: MR.D, Moderators
-
OrangeKnight
- Posts: 22
- Joined: 05 Feb 2007, 17:46
My First Works
Well, been fiddling around with Wings3D, and these are the kind of things I've been spawning, not much, but to me they seem okay, they got low poly-counts at least...
Thunderer, Light Artillery - 80 Polygons
BlastHog, Heavy Bomber - 106 Polygons
Blazer, Light Tank - 74 Polygons
Any friendly advice or questions?
Mike
Thunderer, Light Artillery - 80 Polygons
BlastHog, Heavy Bomber - 106 Polygons
Blazer, Light Tank - 74 Polygons
Any friendly advice or questions?
Mike
That bomber looks like an Ornithopter.
Okay suggestions:
First of all enable advanced menus in the preferences (Edit -> Preferences). They're really useful once you get to know them better.
This might be a bit much for a starter but you should try to mirror what can be mirrored. I think it's the best if you learn how to do it right from the beginning.
Let's take the last tank.
The left tracks are identical to the right ones. So delete the right ones, duplicate the left ones, flip them on X, then use Move->Absolute and type in the same values of the left ones except that X is -X. Now both tracks share the same UV map, conserving space on the UV map and taking work off you, unless you did that already.
You can do that with any complex object. Simply select all the center edges and connect them in the middle (default is C). Then select one of the new verctial edges in the center and hit L to do an edge loop, then CTRL+SHIFT+L to cut it in two. Now delete one of the halves, select the new big face representing the insides and use Mirror from the context menu. Unless don't want each half look like each other this now saves up a lot of UV map space as well saves some time when doing the texture as well.
Oh and make sure your models face into the Z+ direction. To rotate a model in place which isn't symmetrical simply create a new cube. Now move that cube down on the Y axis by some bits so it's not inside of your model.
Then select all pieces of your model in object mode and choose rotate in the context menu, but instead of clicking left use right click on rotate (this only works when advanced menus are enabled). Now you can select (a couple of) vertices, edges or faces to rotate the model around. Select the top face of the cube to easily rotate it around X, Z=0, i.e. it turns in place.
This prevents non-symmetrical models from rotating around a point other than X, Z=0 (assuming the model is in the center). This is pretty useful for other stuff too.
You can rotate the turret in the same manner by the way for some posing (if the center of it is at X,Z=0). When it's not you can still rotate it around it's own center face at the bottom (the one where it's supposed to dock with the body).
Okay some more suggestions... the barrel of the tank, rotate it on the Z axis by 45 degrees. It will look better when it's textured due to springs own shading.
When you get to the point when you want to set up your model in upspring you have to get the origins right (the point the piece rotates around). The easiest way of acquiring these without any calculations is to use wings. Select a face or an edge and look at the values which appear at the top.
"Midpt. X.XX Y.YY Z.ZZ". You can use these values in upspring to place the origin without much fumbling. This is very useful for anything which is supposed to turn around a point or turn around an edge.
Alright something for perfectionists:
Make sure the symmetrical parts of your model are at X=0. When all model parts are selected use absolute move to see if it's at X=0. At least I can't stand it if it isn't because of some random minor modeling mistake. Easiest way to fix it is to mirror your model, i.e. cut it in halves and use mirror. Mirror on the other hand shouldn't be used on grouped objects, only single objects or it might clone some bits and you won't notice it.
Okay enough I think I'm getting off-track a little.
The models seem fine to me, they're pretty low poly. The less you need the better but I think you can go up to 500 or 1000 for something which is spamable or even more for rare units.
To see the true polycount, by the way, you have to triangulate your models first because the triangles count.
Also you should hide any faces which can't be seen. Hide as in assign the material "_hole" to them, it's always there by default. When you export the model to object they'll be ignored. For example assign the back face of the gun on the tank the _hole material.
Now on to triangulation. To do that go in face mode and, if your model is already UV mapped, use "Select -> By -> UV mapped faces". Now right click and "Tesselate -> Triangulation". Face count now show the actual faces the model got (without the holes). If it isn't then just select all faces and triangulate them. Includes the holes though.
Blah...
Okay suggestions:
First of all enable advanced menus in the preferences (Edit -> Preferences). They're really useful once you get to know them better.
This might be a bit much for a starter but you should try to mirror what can be mirrored. I think it's the best if you learn how to do it right from the beginning.
Let's take the last tank.
The left tracks are identical to the right ones. So delete the right ones, duplicate the left ones, flip them on X, then use Move->Absolute and type in the same values of the left ones except that X is -X. Now both tracks share the same UV map, conserving space on the UV map and taking work off you, unless you did that already.
You can do that with any complex object. Simply select all the center edges and connect them in the middle (default is C). Then select one of the new verctial edges in the center and hit L to do an edge loop, then CTRL+SHIFT+L to cut it in two. Now delete one of the halves, select the new big face representing the insides and use Mirror from the context menu. Unless don't want each half look like each other this now saves up a lot of UV map space as well saves some time when doing the texture as well.
Oh and make sure your models face into the Z+ direction. To rotate a model in place which isn't symmetrical simply create a new cube. Now move that cube down on the Y axis by some bits so it's not inside of your model.
Then select all pieces of your model in object mode and choose rotate in the context menu, but instead of clicking left use right click on rotate (this only works when advanced menus are enabled). Now you can select (a couple of) vertices, edges or faces to rotate the model around. Select the top face of the cube to easily rotate it around X, Z=0, i.e. it turns in place.
This prevents non-symmetrical models from rotating around a point other than X, Z=0 (assuming the model is in the center). This is pretty useful for other stuff too.
You can rotate the turret in the same manner by the way for some posing (if the center of it is at X,Z=0). When it's not you can still rotate it around it's own center face at the bottom (the one where it's supposed to dock with the body).
Okay some more suggestions... the barrel of the tank, rotate it on the Z axis by 45 degrees. It will look better when it's textured due to springs own shading.
When you get to the point when you want to set up your model in upspring you have to get the origins right (the point the piece rotates around). The easiest way of acquiring these without any calculations is to use wings. Select a face or an edge and look at the values which appear at the top.
"Midpt. X.XX Y.YY Z.ZZ". You can use these values in upspring to place the origin without much fumbling. This is very useful for anything which is supposed to turn around a point or turn around an edge.
Alright something for perfectionists:
Make sure the symmetrical parts of your model are at X=0. When all model parts are selected use absolute move to see if it's at X=0. At least I can't stand it if it isn't because of some random minor modeling mistake. Easiest way to fix it is to mirror your model, i.e. cut it in halves and use mirror. Mirror on the other hand shouldn't be used on grouped objects, only single objects or it might clone some bits and you won't notice it.
Okay enough I think I'm getting off-track a little.
The models seem fine to me, they're pretty low poly. The less you need the better but I think you can go up to 500 or 1000 for something which is spamable or even more for rare units.
To see the true polycount, by the way, you have to triangulate your models first because the triangles count.
Also you should hide any faces which can't be seen. Hide as in assign the material "_hole" to them, it's always there by default. When you export the model to object they'll be ignored. For example assign the back face of the gun on the tank the _hole material.
Now on to triangulation. To do that go in face mode and, if your model is already UV mapped, use "Select -> By -> UV mapped faces". Now right click and "Tesselate -> Triangulation". Face count now show the actual faces the model got (without the holes). If it isn't then just select all faces and triangulate them. Includes the holes though.
Blah...
Last edited by rattle on 06 Feb 2007, 22:07, edited 1 time in total.
-
OrangeKnight
- Posts: 22
- Joined: 05 Feb 2007, 17:46
-
OrangeKnight
- Posts: 22
- Joined: 05 Feb 2007, 17:46
Well its not perfectly an A-10, but I'll try and make the link more obvious in V2!
As far as the Poly count issue, I'm one of those guys that believe that you don't need killer graphics to enjoy a game, plus it looks like its easier to Texture...that and I've always been a fan of really large and strategic battles, and they tend to require many many units! :D
Thanks again.
Mike
Don't worry much about that, I may not be familiar with Wings, but I'm taking a 3D Game Animation program, so I ain't new, but I'm always willing to listen to what others have to say. Thusly all that info you edited in is great, I'm definetly in your debt now! :Drattle wrote:This might be a bit much for a starter...
As far as the Poly count issue, I'm one of those guys that believe that you don't need killer graphics to enjoy a game, plus it looks like its easier to Texture...that and I've always been a fan of really large and strategic battles, and they tend to require many many units! :D
Thanks again.
Mike
-
OrangeKnight
- Posts: 22
- Joined: 05 Feb 2007, 17:46
Thanks for the comments guys, its good to know I'm on the right track.
@ Manored: I plan to texture it with a black strip so it'll look somewhat like this; (as far as the gun angling part)
So it'll be able to tilt up just fine.
@ jackolope: How about not?
@ j5mello: but if they ever fix that... I'll be ready! ;D
Mike
@ Manored: I plan to texture it with a black strip so it'll look somewhat like this; (as far as the gun angling part)
So it'll be able to tilt up just fine.
@ jackolope: How about not?
@ j5mello: but if they ever fix that... I'll be ready! ;D
Mike
-
OrangeKnight
- Posts: 22
- Joined: 05 Feb 2007, 17:46
no worries man, I just find that no matter where I go I always have to explain what I'm doing in detail to atleast one person, so I figured I'd simply do it before it happens!rattle wrote:The low polycount wasn't critique really.
Yeah thats what I figures, plus it just seems to be that the larger flat areas will allow more detail to be seen of the texture...but oh well. And I'm working on a New Blasthog model, so I might be able to get that done and posted today if I can finish my Sperm Whale for 3D class today!rattle wrote:A good texture can do wonders.
Mike
-
OrangeKnight
- Posts: 22
- Joined: 05 Feb 2007, 17:46
Its great as I save polygons and pain when I get around to texturing it.manored wrote:Nice! :POrangeKnight wrote:Thanks for the comments guys, its good to know I'm on the right track.
@ Manored: I plan to texture it with a black strip so it'll look somewhat like this; (as far as the gun angling part)
Image Removed for those poor 56K users :D
So it'll be able to tilt up just fine.
Mike
-
OrangeKnight
- Posts: 22
- Joined: 05 Feb 2007, 17:46
-
OrangeKnight
- Posts: 22
- Joined: 05 Feb 2007, 17:46
-
OrangeKnight
- Posts: 22
- Joined: 05 Feb 2007, 17:46
